KellnerCV

Ken Kellner

Biometrician

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University  |  kenkellner.com

Interests

Models of wildlife distribution and abundance, open-source scientific software, reproducible research, metascience.

Experience

2022- Research Assistant Professor Michigan State University
2019-2022 Research Scientist State University of New York - ESF
2018 Postdoc West Virginia University
2016-2017 Postdoc Purdue University

Education

2015 PhD Ecology Purdue University
2012 MS Ecology Purdue University
2009 BS Biology Wheaton College

Software

jagsUI R interface to JAGS, a program for Bayesian analysis
unmarked R package for analysis of wildlife occurrence and abundance
ubms Run models from R package unmarked in Stan

Book

Kéry M, Kellner KF (2024). Applied Statistical Modelling for Ecologists. Elsevier. [view] [buy]

Selected Papers

Kellner KF, Doser JW, Belant JL (2024). Functional R code is rare in species distribution and abundance papers. Ecology, e4475. [view]

Kéry M, Royle JA, Hallman T, Robinson WD, Strebel N, Kellner KF (2024). Integrated distance sampling models for simple point counts. Ecology 105, e4292. [view]

Kellner KF, Smith AD, Royle JA, Kéry M, Belant JL, Chandler RB (2023). The unmarked R package: Twelve years of advances in occurrence and abundance modelling in ecology. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 14, 1408-1415. [view]

Kellner KF, Parsons AW, Kays R, Millspaugh JJ, Rota CT (2022). A Two-Species Occupancy Model with a Continuous-Time Detection Process Reveals Spatial and Temporal Interactions. Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics 27, 321–338. [view]

Clipp HL, Evans AL, Kessinger BE, Kellner KF, Rota CT (2021). A penalized likelihood for multispecies occupancy models improves predictions of species interactions. Ecology, e03520. [view]

Kellner KF, Fowler NL, Petroelje TR, Kautz TM, Beyer DE, Belant, JL (2021). ubms: An R package for fitting hierarchical occupancy and N-mixture abundance models in a Bayesian framework. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 13, 577–584. [view]

Strebel N, Fiss CJ, Kellner KF, Larkin JL, Kéry M, Cohen J (2021). Estimating abundance based on time-to-detection data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 12, 909–920. [view]

Teaching

Workshops

2024 Applied Hierarchical Modeling in Ecology East Lansing, MI
2024 Multi-species Occupancy Modeling Fairbanks, AK
2023 Applied Statistical Modeling East Lansing, MI
2023 Applied Hierarchical Modeling in Ecology Patuxent, MD
2020, 2021 Multi-species Occupancy Modeling TWS Conference
2018 Introductory R Clemson, SC

Courses

Elementary Statistical Methods, R and Bayesian Analysis for Ecologists, Spatial Capture-Recapture, Systematics of Amphibians, Reptiles, and Birds

Papers Continued

Mason DS, Bell ME, Kellner KF, Bennett A, Weston T, Presgrove J, Belant JL (2024). Wild harvests could aid food insecurity and reduce wildlife hyperabundance. BioScience, biae110. [view]

Goergen JD, Lindeque M, Louis MP, Kellner KF, Roloff GJ, Belant JL (2024). Drivers of hunting and photographic tourism income to communal conservancies in Namibia. Global Ecology and Conservation 56, e03294. [view]

Schooler SL, Svoboda NJ, Kellner KF, Pu G, Finnegan SP, Belant JL (2024). Variable Spatiotemporal Ungulate Behavioral Response to Predation Risk. Ecosphere 15, e70041. [view]

Belant JL, Denker KU, Kellner KF (2024). Age-based scoring as a complementary approach to sustainable trophy hunting. BioScience, biae091. [view]

Belant JL, Bennett A, Kellner KF, del Mar Mancha-Cisneros M (2024). Wildlife harvests can advance food security and the food systems agenda. Nature Food. [view]

Belant JL, Bennett A, Kellner KF, del Mar Mancha-Cisneros M (2024). Ecosystem services from wildlife harvests. BioScience, biae039. [view]

Zubiria Perez A, Kellner KF, MacFarland DM, Price Tack JL, Ruid DB, Stauffer GE, Belant JL (2024). Effects of lethal management on gray wolf pack persistence and reproduction in Wisconsin, USA. Scientific Reports 14, 9895. [view]

Wehr NH, Moore SA, Isaac EJ, Kellner KF, Millspaugh JJ, Belant JL (2024). Spatial overlap of gray wolves and ungulate prey changes seasonally corresponding to prey migration. Movement Ecology 12, 33. [view]

Wehr NH, Moore SA, Isaac EJ, Kellner KF, Millspaugh JJ, Belant JL (2024). Moose and white-tailed deer mortality peaks in fall and late winter. Journal of Wildlife Management. [view]

van den Bosch M, Beyer DE, Erb JD, Gantchoff MG, Kellner KF, MacFarland DM, Patterson BR, Price Tack JL, Roell BJ, Belant JL (2024). Temporal dynamics in gray wolf space use suggest stabilizing range in the Great Lakes region, USA. Biological Conservation 291, 110489. [view]

van den Bosch M, Kellner KF, Gantchoff MG, Patterson BR, Barber-Meyer SM, Beyer DE, Erb JD, Isaac EJ, MacFarland DM, Moore SA, Norton DC, Petroelje TR, Price Tack JL, Roell BJ, Schrage M, Belant JL (2023). Habitat selection of resident and non-resident gray wolves: implications for habitat connectivity. Scientific Reports 13, 20415. [view]

van den Bosch M, Kellner KF, Mkasanga I, Mwampeta B, Fyumagwa R, Gantchoff MG, Patterson BR, Belant JL (2023). Spatial and temporal niche overlap of aardwolves and aardvarks in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Ecology and Evolution 13, e10718. [view]

van den Bosch M, Kellner KF, Beyer DE, Erb JD, MacFarland DM, Norton DC, Price Tack JL, Roell BJ, Belant JL (2023). Gray wolf range in the western Great Lakes region under forecasted land use and climate change. Ecosphere 14, e4630. [view]

Hill JE, Kellner KF, Holland AE, Kluever BM, Pfeiffer MB, DeVault TL, Belant JL (2023) Urbanization influences spatiotemporal patterns of roost site selection by black vultures and turkey vultures. Urban Ecosystems, 1-13. [view]

McKinney AB, Barlow KN, Adams HE, White JL, Kellner KF, Ruhl PJ (2023). Foraging Intensity of Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) in Response to Feed Type and Extreme Winter Conditions. Southeastern Naturalist 22, 43-56. [view]

Siemer WF, Lauber TB, Stedman RC, Hurst JE, Sun C, Hollingshead NA, Belant JL, Kellner KF (2023). Perception and Trust Influence Acceptance for Black Bears More Than Bear Density or Conflicts. Frontiers in Conservation Science 4, 1-4. [view]

Parchizadeh J, Kellner KF, Hurst JE, Kramer DW, Belant JL (2023). Factors influencing frequency and severity of human-American black bear conflicts in New York, USA. PLoS ONE 18, e0282322. [view]

Schooler SL, Finnegan SP, Fowler NL, Kellner KF, et al. (2022). Factors influencing lion movements and habitat use in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania. Scientific Reports 12, 18890. [view]

Schooler SL, Svoboda NJ, Finnegan SP, Crye J, Kellner KF, Belant JL (2022). Maternal carryover, winter severity, and brown bear abundance relate to elk demographics. PLoS ONE 17, e0274359. [view]

van den Bosch M, Beyer DE, Erb JD, Gantchoff MG, Kellner KF, MacFarland DM, Norton DC, Patterson BR, Price Tack JL, Roell BJ, Belant JL (2022). Identifying potential gray wolf habitat and connectivity in the eastern USA. Biological Conservation 273, 109708. [view]

Hill JE, Boone HM, Gantchoff MG, Kautz TM, Kellner KF, Orning EK, Parchizadeh J, Petroelje TR, Wehr NH, Finnegan SP, Fowler NL, Lutto AL, Schooler SL, van den Bosch M, Zubiria Perez A, Belant JL (2022). Quantifying anthropogenic wolf mortality in relation to hunting regulations and landscape attributes across North America. Ecology and Evolution 12, e8875. [view]

Fowler NL, Petroelje TR, Kautz TM, Svoboda NJ, Duquette JF, Kellner KF, Beyer DE, Belant JL (2022). Variable effects of wolves on niche breadth and density of intraguild competitors. Ecology and Evolution 12, e8542. [view]

Parsons AW, Kellner KF, Rota CT, Schuttler SG, Millspaugh JJ, Kays RW (2022). The effect of urbanization on spatiotemporal interactions between gray foxes and coyotes. Ecosphere 13, e3993. [view]

Saeed, M, Rais M, Akram A, Williams MR, Kellner KF, Hashsham SA, Davis DR (2022). Development and validation of an eDNA protocol for monitoring endemic Asian spiny frogs in the Himalayan region of Pakistan. Scientific Reports 12, 5624. [view]

Brüniche-Olsen A, Bickham JW, Godard-Codding CA, Brykhov VA, Kellner KF, Urban J, DeWoody JA (2021). Influence of Holocene habitat availability and commercial whaling on Pacific gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) population dynamics as inferred from whole mitochondrial genome sequences and environmental niche modelling. Journal of Mammalogy, gyab032. [view]

Fowler NL, Kautz TM, Petroelje TR, Wilton CM, Kellner KF, O’Brien DJ, Parsons B, Beyer DE, Belant JL (2021). Marginal support for a trophic cascade among sympatric canids in peripheral wolf range. Ecology 102, e03494. [view]

Brüniche-Olsen A, Kellner KF, Belant JL, DeWoody A (2021). Life-history traits and habitat availability shape genomic diversity in birds: implications for conservation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288, 20211441. [view]

Hill JE, Kellner KF, Kluever BM, Avery ML, Humphrey JS, Tillman EA, DeVault TL, Belant JL (2021). Landscape transformations produce favorable roosting conditions for turkey vultures and black vultures. Scientific Reports 11, 14793. [view]

Kautz TM, Beyer DE, Farley Z, Fowler NL, Kellner KF, Lutto AL, Petroelje TR, Belant JL (2021). American martens use vigilance and short-term avoidance to navigate a landscape of fear from fishers at artificial scavenging sites. Scientific Reports 11, 12146. [view]

Kellner KF, Hurst JE, Kramer DW, Belant JL (2021). Effects of Antler Point Restrictions on Deer Harvest in New York. Wildlife Society Bulletin 45, 581-588. [view]

Romanski MC, Orning EK, Kellner KF, Beyer DE, Brzeski K, Hart J, et. al. (2020). Wolves and the Isle Royale Environment: Restoring an Island Ecosystem 2018-2020. Technical Report. Michigan Tech Publications. [view]

Gantchoff M, Hill J, Kellner KF, Fowler N, Petroelje T, Conlee L, Beyer D, Belant JL (2020). Mortality of a large wide-ranging carnivore largely caused by anthropogenic activities. Scientific Reports 10, 1–11. [view]

Kellner KF, Hill JE, Gantchoff MG, Kramer DW, Bailey AM, Belant JL (2020). Responses of sympatric canids to human development revealed through citizen science. Ecology and Evolution 10, 8705–8714. [view]

Ruhl PJ, Kellner KF, Dunning JB (2020). Deciphering the Postfledging Habitat Associations of Mature Forest Songbirds in Clearcuts. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 132, 145–158. [view]

Timm S, Wolf AJ, Gao X, Kellner KF (2020). Assessing multi-scale habitat relationships and responses to forest management for cryptic herpetofauna in the Missouri Ozarks, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 460, 117892. [view]

Brüniche-Olsen A, Kellner KF, DeWoody A (2019). Island area, body size, and demographic history shape genomic diversity and inbreeding. Molecular Ecology 28, 4914–4925. [view]

Greenler S, Estrada L, Kellner KF, Saunders MR, Swihart RK (2019). Prescribed fire and partial overstory removal alter an acorn-rodent conditional mutualism. Ecological Applications 29, e01958. [view]

Kellner KF, Renken RB, Millspaugh JJ, Porneluzi P, Wolf AJ, Fantz D, Gitzen RA, Faaborg J, Timm S, Ehlers S, Buchanan M, Haslerig J, George A, Rota CT, (2019). Effects of forest management on vertebrate communities: Synthesizing two decades of data from upland hardwood forests in Missouri, USA. Ecological Applications 29, e01993. [view]

Kellner KF, Duchamp JE, Swihart RK (2019). Niche breadth and vertebrate sensitivity to habitat modification: signals from multiple taxa across replicated landscapes. Biodiversity and Conservation 28, 2647–2667. [view]

Nelson DL, Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2019). Rodent population density and survival respond to disturbance induced by timber harvest. Journal of Mammalogy 100, 1253-1262. [view]

Berl JL, Flaherty EA, Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2018). Spatial variation in density of white-footed mice along edges in fragmented habitat. American Midland Naturalist 179, 38–50. [view]

Brüniche-Olsen A, Kellner KF, Anderson C, DeWoody A (2018). Runs of homozygosity have utility in mammalian conservation and evolutionary studies. Conservation Genetics 19, 1295–1307. [view]

Kellner KF, Ruhl PJ, Dunning JB, Barnes KW, Saunders MR, Swihart RK (2018). Local-scale habitat components driving bird abundance in eastern deciduous forests. American Midland Naturalist 180, 48–61. [view]

Ruhl PJ, Kellner KF, Pierce JM, Riegel JK, Swihart RK, Saunders MR, Dunning JB (2018). Characterization of Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) breeding habitat at the landscape level and nest scale. Avian Conservation and Ecology 13, 11. [view]

Swihart RK, Sundaram M, Fe S, Kellner KF (2018). Benchmarking scholarly performance by faculty in forestry and forest products. Journal of Forestry 116, 320–327. [view]

Berl JL, Flaherty EA, Danielson B, Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2017). Winter ecology of prairie deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) in cultivated habitats: Implications for agricultural ecosystem services. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 249, 130–136. [view]

Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2017). Herbivory on planted oak seedlings across a habitat edge created by timber harvest. Plant Ecology 218, 213–223. [view]

Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2017). Simulation of oak early life history and interactions with disturbance via an individual-based model, SOEL. PLOS One 12, e0179643. [view]

Lichti NI, Kellner KF, Smyser TJ, Johnson SA (2017). Bayesian model-based age classification using small mammal body mass and capture dates. Journal of Mammalogy 98, 1379–1388. [view]

Kellner KF, Lichti NI, Swihart RK (2016). Midstory removal reduces effectiveness of oak (Quercus) acorn dispersal by small mammals in the Central Hardwood Forest region. Forest Ecology and Management 375, 182–190. [view]

Kellner KF, Ruhl PJ, Dunning JB, Riegel JK, Swihart RK (2016). Multi-scale responses of breeding birds to experimental forest management in Indiana, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 382, 64–75. [view]

Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2016). Timber harvest and drought interact to impact oak seedling growth and survival in the Central Hardwood Forest. Ecosphere 7, e01473. [view]

Negreros-Castillo P, Martínez-Salazar I, Kellner KF, Mize CW, Swihart RK, Navarro-Martínez MA (2016). Survival of Swietenia macrophylla seed planted in slash and burn fields in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Bois et Forêts des Tropiques 329, 3–12. [view]

Swihart RK, Sundaram M, Höök TO, DeWoody JA, Kellner KF (2016). Performance benchmarks for scholarly metrics associated with fisheries and wildlife faculty. PLOS One 11, e0155097. [view]

Leonard OD, Moore JW, Riegel JK, Meier AR, Dunning JB, Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2015). Effect of variation in forest harvest intensity on winter occupancy of Barred Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls in deciduous forests of the east-central United States. Journal of Field Ornithology 86, 115–129. [view]

Kellner KF, Riegel JK, Swihart RK (2014). Effects of silvicultural disturbance on acorn infestation and removal. New Forests 45, 265–281. [view]

Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2014). Changes in small mammal microhabitat use following silvicultural disturbance. American Midland Naturalist 172, 348–358. [view]

Kellner KF, Swihart RK (2014). Accounting for imperfect detection in ecology: A quantitative review. PLOS One 9, e111436. [view]

Kellner KF, Riegel JK, Lichti NI, Swihart RK (2013). Oak mast production and animal impacts on acorn survival in the Central Hardwoods. In: The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment: a framework for studying responses to forest management. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-108. Ed. by RK Swihart, MR Saunders, RA Kalb, GS Haulton, and CH Michler. Newtown Square, PA: USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, pp.176–190. [view]

Kellner KF, Urban NA, Swihart RK (2013). Short-term responses of small mammals to timber harvest in the United States Central Hardwood Forest Region. Journal of Wildlife Management 77, 1650–1663. [view]

Smyser TJ, Page LK, Johnson SA, Hudson CM, Kellner KF, Swihart RK, Rhodes OE (2013). Management of raccoon roundworm in free-ranging raccoon populations via anthelmintic baiting. Journal of Wildlife Management 77, 1372–1379. [view]

Kellner KF, Page LK, Downey M, McCord SE (2012). Effects of urbanization on the prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in intermediate host populations. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48, 1083–1087. [view]

Page LK, Beasley JC, Olson ZH, Smyser TJ, Downey M, Kellner KF, McCord SE, Egan TS, Rhodes OE (2011). Reducing Baylisascaris procyonis roundworm larvae in raccoon latrines. Emerging Infectious Diseases 17, 90–93. [view]

Page LK, Gehrt SD, Cascione A, Kellner KF, (2009). The relationship between Baylisascaris procyonis prevalence and raccoon population structure. Journal of Parasitology 95, 1314– 1320. [view]

Page LK, Anchor C, Luy E, Kron S, Larson G, Madsen L, Kellner KF, Smyser TJ (2009). Backyard raccoon latrines and risk for Baylisascaris procyonis transmission to humans. Emerging Infectious Diseases 15, 1530–1531. [view]

Recent Presentations

Kellner KF, Doser JW, Belant JL (2024). Functional and reproducible code is rare in ecology papers. Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.

Kellner KF, Smith AD, Royle JA, Kéry M, Belant JL, Chandler RB (2023). R packages unmarked and ubms: New tools for abundance and occurrence modeling. Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Louisville, KY.

Kellner KF, Hurst JE, Kramer DW, Belant JL (2019). Effects of antler point restrictions on white-tailed deer harvest in New York State. Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Reno, NV.

Kellner KF, Rota CT, Renken R, Porneluzi P, Millspaugh J, Wolf A, Timm S, Ehlers S (2018). Effects of forest management on vertebrate communities: synthesizing two decades of results from a long-term study. Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Cleveland, OH.

Honors

2021 Osborn Wildlife Conservation Early Career Award, Purdue University
2015 Kirkpatrick Memorial Graduate Student Award, Purdue University
2015 Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award, Purdue University
2014 Fischer Forestry Fund Scholarship, Purdue University
2010, 2011 NSF Graduate Fellowship Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation
2009 Frederick N. Andrews Fellowship, Purdue University
2009 David Bruce Memorial Research Award, Wheaton College
2009 Honors in Biology, Wheaton College
2005 National Merit Scholarship, Wheaton College

Peer Review

I have reviewed papers for more than 20 journals, including Basic and Applied Ecology, Conservation Biology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Modelling, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, and Methods in Ecology and Evolution.